ISLAM
Europe and its muslim legacies
A civilization exhibition
​
The exhibition «Europe and its Muslim legacies» demonstrates that Islam has always been present on the European continent and involved in its civilization.
The Muslims arrived on the Western shores of the Mediterranean in the 8th century at the time of their conquest of the Iberian Peninsula and remained there throughout the following eight centuries. Then, when the fall of Grenada in 1492 put an end to the Muslim presence in Western Europe, the Turks had already been solidly established for over a century in the East, in the Balkans, which they incorporated into a vast empire.
​
As such, in the same way that there is a North-African, Turkish, African, Indo- Pakistani, Arabic or Indonesian Islam, there has always been, and still is, a European Islam. Which means that these two civilizations have always been related to each other. They emerged from a common spiritual and intellectual root, hold to a similar Scriptural origin and acknowledge the same philosophical legacy. Their interconnection over thirteen years of secular history has resulted both in times of violence and of peace, but has always been richly influential for both parties. Without this interconnectedness, neither Europe nor Islam would be what they are today
​
The exhibition «Europe and its Muslim legacies» is a civilization exhibition:
​
-
Based on a scientific scenario which gives an insight into the legacy left by the Muslim civilization on European soil after 13 centuries of presence. It is therefore not an exhibition about the Islamic religion.
-
Multidisciplinary as it combines history, art history, sociology, ethnology, as well as different forms of creation
-
Putting forward the importance of the encounter between both civilizations on European soil
​
To help to understand the legacy of the Muslim culture on the European continent, we have grouped evidence of its impact into two Arab and Ottoman legacies which cover very different historical periods and geographical zones even if, of course, overlaps and intersections sometimes occur. ​
Specifications
​
-
PUBLIC: The exhibition is open to all the spectators: school, cultural and social associations, family and individual. The variety of devices allows multiple levels of content reading. ​
-
LANGUAGE: The exhibition is available in french, english and dutch and can presented in a trilingual, bilingual or unilingual version. ​
-
CONTENT: 24 original artefacts (owned by the Museum of Europe) 160 facsimiles (owned by The Museum of Europe) +100 original artefacts from different european museums (loan request necessary), contemporary artworks (option available to get a selection of 20 artworks), 3 animated maps, 12 historical testimonies.
-
EXHIBITION SPACE : from 900 to 1500 m2
-
ADAPTATION:
«Europe and its Muslim legacies» is a civilization exihibition offering a general approach from a european perspective. However, the exhibition can be fully adapted to specific characteristics:
-
Profile of the hosting venue
-
Venue Layout
-
Languages
-
Artworks and artefacts chosen to promote local or national collections
-
Content adaptation and focus on specific topics
-
